Today children learn to recognise brands from a very early age. They are trained to become ‘brand loyal’ from the images that surround them everywhere. From the Dora characters they see on their nappies to the Thomas the tank engine drink bottles they put in their Wiggles school bag.

Jason Clarke, founder of Minds at Work says “it starts with Bob the Builder or Dorothy the Dinosaur and it never ends – because if you get them young, you have them for keeps”.

As they become more aware of the world around them and the pressures of consumerism take hold, they come to depend on the instant gratification that a “branded” purchase gives them. However this feeling of satisfaction is soon forgotten as the next ‘want’ comes along.

Maggie Hamilton, author of What’s Happening to our Girls and Generation Next speaker says that “by the age of 2 children can now recognise their favourite brands in shops and let their parents know they want them. It’s tragic that many small children recognise more items in a shopping centre than in nature”.

But it isn’t just girls, boys are also brand loyal and conscious of what their mates will think about what they are wearing and whether or not they have the latest iphone and applications.

Here are some great tips on how to help young people resist rampant consumerism.

  • Be a role model – Most young people learn how to shop from their parents. Try to moderate what you buy and don’t pin your happiness on a purchase, or want an item so badly that you look desperate.
  • Needs not wants – go shopping when you need things. Don’t use it as therapy to cheer yourself up.
  • Media awareness – teach children not to accept everything they see in advertisements without question. Make them realise that commercials are there to try and make them buy something, whether they need it or not. TV commercials are a great start for teaching media literacy because they’re brief and it’s easy for kids to understand how biased they are. From there, it will be easier to move on to TV, movies and websites.
  • Brand loyalty – don’t buy only one brand, buy what is on special or the home brand in a supermarket. Show young people that essentially branded and non branded items are the same thing except for the packaging and known name.
  • Positive bonding – Don’t make shopping your main family activity. For many mothers and daughters, shopping can easily become their main bonding activity. Find other activities to keep you close.
  • Be honest with yourself and true to your child – It is very easy for working parents to over indulge their children. This teaches them consumerism. Try to work out why, as a parent, you feel the need to indulge them. Is it because you work long hours and feel guilty? Are you afraid your child won’t love you if you say no? Do you want them to have more than you did?

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Daily Mail. Maggie Hamilton, “What’s Happening to our Girls”